Topic: Solved NIC #39 - 1930 Montier-Ford GP cars

[nicanary]

Please tell me what the front two cars are, and what powers them.

[nicanary]

Experts ?

[nicanary]

You'll kick yourselves when you realise how easy this was. Last chance.

 

[Laurent]

I guess it is two Ford modified by Charles Montier. The location is may be the Grand Prix from San Sebastian 1930 ?

[nicanary]

I guess it is two Ford modified by Charles Montier. The location is may be the Grand Prix from San Sebastian 1930 ?

Yes. They are Montier-Fords which were based on highly-tuned Model A frames/engines, and were reasonably successful, all things considered. I think you could be right about the venue. During the 1930 season they used cars based on '29 chassis, which these have been identified as. One point.

PS congratulations on your first success!

[Hiawatha]

Picture was taken at the 1931 Belgian Grand Prix.

[nicanary]

Picture was taken at the 1931 Belgian Grand Prix.

Many thanks. I should have done my homework.

[ropat53]

Please tell me what the front two cars are, and what powers them.

I think the original question has not been fully answered.
These cars were powered by a straight 8 cylinder engine made up of two Model A motors in tandem.

[nicanary]

I have done the homework I should have done in the first place. The cars are pictured at the 1931 Belgian Grand Prix, driven by Charles and Francois Montier. The "straight-eight" car was not built until 1932, and raced without success in 1933. So I'm fairly sure these are Model-A powered.

PS the other car pictured is Jean Pesato in an Alfa-Romeo 6C1750. Grand Prix racing was in a mess in those days, with little manufacturer interest, and just about anything on 4 wheels could enter. Rather like Formule Libre.

[ropat53]

Oops, I think I'm the one that didn't do his homework properly, like many other, I jumped to the conclusion that the extended bonnet hid the "straight eight" engine.

[nicanary]

Oops, I think I'm the one that didn't do his homework properly, like many other, I jumped to the conclusion that the extended bonnet hid the "straight eight" engine.

Apparently, the bonnet had to be extended so that the standard chassis frame could be lowered - if you look there is a strange Z shape just behind the front wheels where the lowering took place. This meant the radiator had to be moved very far forwards.

It  must have been very empty under that hood.